Florida HB 1503: Harm to Minors

Bill Text

CS/CS/HB 1503 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1503-02-c2
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to computer science education and 2
certification; amending s. 1007.25, F.S.; providing 3
requirements for general education core courses with a 4
technology component; amending s. 1007.2616, F.S.; 5
requiring high school computer science courses to 6
include instruction on artificial intelligence; 7
requiring the State Board of Education to establish 8
separate computer science subject area coverages for 9
specified grades and to continue the comprehensive K–10
12 coverage; requiring the Department of Education to 11
present recommended competencies for certain subject 12
area coverages to the state board by a specified date; 13
requiring the department to coordinate examinations 14
for such subject area coverages by a specified date; 15
providing an effective date. 16
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
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Section 1. Paragraphs (e) through (h) of subsection (3) of 20
section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 21
paragraphs (f) through (i), respectively, and a new paragraph 22
(e) is added to that subsection, to read: 23
1007.25 General education courses; common prerequisites; 24
other degree requirements.— 25

CS/CS/HB 1503 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(3) The chair of the State Board of Education and the 26
chair of the Board of Governors, or their designees, shall 27
jointly appoint faculty committees to review and recommend to 28
the Articulation Coordinating Committee for approval by the 29
State Board of Education and the Board of Governors statewide 30
general education core course options for inclusion in the 31
statewide course numbering system established under s. 1007.24. 32
Faculty committees shall, by July 1, 2024, and by July 1 every 4 33
years thereafter, review and submit recommendations to the 34
Articulation Coordinating Committee and the commissioner for the 35
removal, alignment, realignment, or addition of general 36
education core courses that satisfy the requirements of this 37
subsection. 38
(e) General education core courses that integrate the use 39
of technology must provide students with opportunities to 40
improve digital literacy and competency, instruction on the 41
application of artificial intelligence tools to the course, and 42
related instruction on robotics, software engineering, computer 43
networks, database systems, and cyber security, as applicable to 44
the course. 45
Section 2. Subsection (8) of section 1007.2616, Florida 46
Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (9), subsection (6) is 47
amended, and a new subsection (8) is added to that section, to 48
read: 49
1007.2616 Computer science and technology instruction.— 50

CS/CS/HB 1503 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(6) High school students must be provided opportunities to 51
take computer science courses that include instruction on 52
artificial intelligence and earn technology-related industry 53
certifications to satisfy high school graduation requirements as 54
provided in s. 1003.4282(3). Computer science courses and 55
technology-related industry certifications that are identified 56
as eligible for meeting mathematics or science requirements for 57
high school graduation must be included in the Course Code 58
Directory. 59
(8)(a) To align educator credentials with instructional 60
practice across grade levels, the State Board of Education shall 61
establish by rule or maintain, as appropriate, the following 62
computer science subject area coverages: 63
1. Computer science (grades K–5). 64
2. Computer science (grades 6–12). 65
3. Computer science (K–12). 66
(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt competencies 67
and skills and designate corresponding examinations by rule for 68
the subject area coverages listed in paragraph (a). The 69
comprehensive computer science (K–12) coverage and its 70
examination shall remain available unless amended by rule of the 71
state board. 72
(c)1. The Department of Education shall present 73
recommended competencies and skills for the computer science 74
(grades K–5) and computer science (grades 6–12) subject area 75

CS/CS/HB 1503 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

coverages to the State Board of Education for approval by 76
September 1, 2026. 77
2. Following approval by the State Board of Education 78
under subparagraph 1., the department shall coordinate the 79
development, piloting, and standard-setting for the examinations 80
for such sub